Reports of holdover bass in Connecticut remain steady, while the first reports of the same in Rhode Island are starting to trickle in. Freshwater fishing for all species remains rock solid, with more great catches of carp, pike, bass, trout and perch this week.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Captain Frank, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, was very happy to pass along a report from last Saturday, which saw the boat back at the dock by 1 PM with a full boat limit of fat, market cod, with many fish weighing in the low teens. While Saturday’s trip was the highlight of the week, all of the trips were able to put up some respectable results. Decent numbers of low-teen keepers hit the deck on all trips, and plenty of smaller keepers and shorts to keep the action live. The majority of keeper fish are still being caught on bait, but the cod grounds are once again full of bait schools and jigs are starting to produce once again. The fleet is still sailing daily at 5 AM, and reservations are generally required, so be sure to call the office the day before. Starting next Monday the 28th, the schedule will change to: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the weekends at 7 AM, by reservation.
Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Narragansett, was not able to get out last weekend due to the questionable weather conditions, but noted that he is hearing nothing but good things from the cod grounds. He is anticipating a few chances to get out this weekend, and the boat will sail on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5 AM if the weather permits.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reported that the hot carp bite slowed down just a bit as temperatures took a dive last weekend. Temperatures look to be back on the rise for this upcoming weekend, and that bite should pick up right where it left off. Quality carp fishing can be found right in the Providence area at Spectacle Lake, Mashapaug Pond and the ponds at Roger Williams Park. The Blackstone River and Olney Pone in Lincoln Woods are closed to trout fishing until opening day, but both provide excellent opportunities at carp. Crappie and white perch fishing have remained productive throughout the state, while many trout anglers have made their way to Hopkinton Reservoir in Massachusetts for a shot at trout. Small Mepps in-line spinners and PowerBait have been top producers of trout at the reservoir. Dave also mentioned to keep an eye out for early arriving squid, as the warm spring trend should have them in our waters soon. In other saltwater news, there are reports of school striped bass in Charlestown Breachway taking white bucktails dressed with curly-tail grubs as recently as Wednesday. These are likely holdover fish that will be holding in the area for a few more weeks, but it won’t be long before fresh schoolies start to flood these same waters.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, reported that the Housatonic River is still loaded with school striped bass that are hitting just about any soft plastic fished on a small jighead. Unfortunately, the fish are still schooled up pretty tight, so many days there are as many fishermen as fish on the river. It may be worth picking your spots and fishing time strategically if your schedule allows. Northern pike should be slowing down to spawn in the Connecticut River, but so far it hasn’t slowed the fishing down. Good reports of 25- to 32-inch fish have been coming in from the Haddam area all week. White and yellow perch fishing remains decent in Hamburg Cove, while decent schools of yellows and crappie are being found in most of the northern coves. The TMA sections of the Farmington and Salmon rivers continue to fish well, and remain two of the steadiest options in the state.
The guys at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk are wrapping up their show season just in time for local fishing across western Connecticut. Holdover bass activity in the tidal rivers has really started to pick up over the past week, with anglers reporting great numbers of schoolies and more and more keepers each day. Freshwater anglers have been taking to Candlewood Lake for good perch and smallmouth, with the occasional trout in the mix. Candlewood will remain open until the end of the month, and will open back up on April 9th, along with all the other great trout waters throughout western Connecticut.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reported that the light coating of snow and ice from earlier in the week is off of the river, and water flow is at a near perfect and wadeable 297 cfs. Catches of big wild browns and stocker fish were very good despite the cold, and things should only improve with a warmer weekend forecasted. Water temperatures are starting to rise to the upper 40’s in parts of the river, and it’s causing the trout to start to move around once again. They are no longer stacked up in the pools, and have spread out to the runs, riffles and softer pocket water. Some winter caddis is still hatching in the morning hours, while early black stones, midges, paraleps and some small olives (#22-26) can be seen on the warmer afternoons. A #18 flashback pheasant tail is generally very effective in March, and this year has been no different. A #14 medium to dark brown mayfly style nymph imitates the immature Hendrickson nymphs, which are also starting to get more active. Streamers fished slow and deep can also be effective now, and trailing a #14-16 nymph 18 inches down helps your hook-up odds. While temps have been rising, they remain in the 40’s, so be sure to keep a slow presentation for the next few weeks.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Don’t look now, but April is right around the corner, along with a wealth of new freshwater and saltwater fishing options. In the meantime, there is plenty to keep anglers busy across southern New England. Holdover striped bass continue to spark the interest of Connecticut anglers, and while crowds will be plentiful, so will the fish. Word of schoolie striped bass fishing in Rhode Island for the first time this spring is also welcome news for anglers in the Ocean State. Freshwater options are plentiful in both states and include carp, pike, bass, perch and crappie. Also, cod fishing is starting to hit on all cylinders once again and anglers looking to fill the freezer have a few more weeks of trips on the head boats to cash in.